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Aesop's Fables

A fable is a story with a moral, or lesson, at the end. Aesop, a Greek author in the 6th century B.C.E., is perhaps the most famous fabulist, or fable writer. His charming stories teach children and adults important lessons about kindness, wisdom, and living with each other. This Reading Set includes some of Aesop’s most beloved fables.

The Astrologer

A man who lived a long time ago believed that he could read the future in the stars. He called himself an Astrologer, and spent his time at night gazing at the sky. One evening he was walking along the open road outside the village. His eyes were fixed on…

The Wolf and the House Dog

There was once a Wolf who got very little to eat because the Dogs of the village were so wide awake and watchful. He was really nothing but skin and bones, and it made him very downhearted to think of it. One night this Wolf happened to fall in with…

The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf

A Shepherd Boy tended his master’s Sheep near a dark forest not far from the village. Soon he found life in the pasture very dull. All he could do to amuse himself was to talk to his dog or play on his shepherd’s pipe. One day as he sat watching…

The Mother and the Wolf

Early one morning a hungry Wolf was prowling around a cottage at the edge of a village, when he heard a child crying in the house. Then he heard the Mother’s voice say: “Hush, child, hush! Stop your crying, or I will give you to the Wolf!” Surprised but delighted…

Mercury and the Woodman

A poor Woodman was cutting down a tree near the edge of a deep pool in the forest. It was late in the day and the Woodman was tired. He had been working since sunrise and his strokes were not so sure as they had been early that morning. Thus…

The Fox and the Goat

A Fox fell into a well, and though it was not very deep, he found that he could not get out again. After he had been in the well a long time, a thirsty Goat came by. The Goat thought the Fox had gone down to drink, and so he…

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

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35 Best Aesop’s Fables (Free Printables)

The moral of the story is …

For thousands of years, people have been sharing Aesop’s fables to prove a point or teach a moral. Find our favorite tales to share with students, plus get ideas and free printable Aesop’s fables for the classroom!

Get the full text of each fable as a free printable to use with your students by filling out the form.

What are Aesop’s fables?

• How to use Aesop’s fables in the classroom
• List of Aesop’s fables

According to legend, Aesop was an enslaved man living in Greece around 600 BCE. He was famed as a storyteller and shared dozens of short tales with listeners, each with a moral message about right and wrong or explaining some facet of human behavior. For a long time, Aesop’s fables were passed on as part of oral tradition. Eventually, the fables were written down, with new ones added that had become part of the collection.

Many of Aesop’s fables use animals as the main characters, making these tales especially relatable to children. They’re also very short, usually making their point in just a paragraph or two. Some of the morals don’t hold up as well today, especially those about “knowing your place” or “not trying to be friends with your betters.” But most are still applicable to our current society, and so these fables live on.

How can teachers use Aesop’s fables in the classroom?

There are many ways to use Aesop’s fables with your students, no matter what age. For younger students, they make excellent short reading passages. You can use them to teach sequencing, reading comprehension, and more reading skills.

You can do a lot more with these tales, though. Try some of these ideas:

• Guess the moral: Read the story with students, and have them identify the moral.
• Act them out: Have students write a short skit and act out one of Aesop’s fables for the class.
• Give examples: Try to find real-life examples of stories or experiences that have similar morals.
• Write a story: Tell another short story with the same moral.
• Points of view: Rewrite a fable from another character’s point of view, and see if it changes the moral of the story.
• Compose a poem: Turn a fable into a poem, or even a song.
• Debate the moral: Ask students to decide whether the moral is still relevant in today’s world.
• Extend the story: Use the fable as a starting point, and write a longer story fleshing out the characters and their experiences.
• Examine the characters: Look at the animals chosen as characters in a specific fable. Would the story change if the animals were different?
• Illustrate the fable: Draw a picture to go along with the story.
• Create a comic strip: Illustrate the fable as a graphic story in several panels.
• Try a STEM challenge: Use stories like “The Crow and the Pitcher,” “The Bundle of Sticks,” or “Belling the Cat” to design a STEM challenge for students.

List of Aesop’s Fables for the Classroom

Here’s a selection of some the most popular of Aesop’s fables, ones that have stood the test of time with morals that are still relevant today. For the full text of Aesop’s fables, visit the links and grab the free printables!

The Fox and the Grapes

Moral: We often belittle what we cannot have.

When a fox is unable to reach some beautiful grapes hanging from a high branch, he consoles himself by saying the grapes were probably sour anyway. (This is why we say it’s “sour grapes” when someone is bitter about something they don’t have.) ADVERTISEMENT

Get the printable: The Fox and the Grapes

The Lion and the Mouse

Moral: It always pays to be kind.

A lion spares a mouse’s life in exchange for the mouse’s promise to help the lion if he’s ever in trouble. Later, the mouse finds the lion caught in a trap and frees him by chewing on the ropes.

Get the printable: The Lion and the Mouse

The Owl and the Grasshopper

Moral: Don’t be taken in by insincere flattery.

A sleepy owl is irritated by a singing grasshopper who refuses to quiet down. She praises his singing and lures him in, then gobbles him up.

Get the printable: The Owl and the Grasshopper

The Thirsty Crow

Moral: A little thought can help solve almost any problem.

A crow wishes to drink water from a pitcher, but the water is too low and the opening too narrow. So the crow drops in pebbles until the water reaches the top, and then takes a drink.

Get the printable: The Thirsty Crow

The Tortoise and the Hare

Moral: Slow and steady wins the race.

When a tortoise challenges a hare to a race, the hare is sure he’ll win by a mile. But the overconfident hare lies down to take a nap, and the tortoise passes him by.

Get the printable: The Tortoise and the Hare

The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

Moral: People who deceive may come to harm through their own lies.

When a wolf dresses as a sheep to lure away trusting lambs, he finds himself in trouble when the shepherd mistakes him for a sheep.

Get the printable: The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

The Dog and His Reflection

Moral: When you’re greedy, you can lose what you already have.

A dog carrying a bone sees his reflection in the water. He thinks he sees a dog with a bigger bone and jumps into the water to get it, losing the bone he already had.

Get the printable: The Dog and His Reflection

The Fox and the Crow

Moral: Beware of insincere flattery.

A fox tricks a crow into dropping a delicious piece of cheese by flattering her until she starts to sing.

Get the printable: The Fox and the Crow

The Bundle of Sticks

Moral: There is strength in numbers.

A man challenges his quarreling sons to break single sticks, which is easy, or a bundle of sticks all at once, which none of them is able to do.

Get the printable: The Bundle of Sticks

Belling the Cat

Moral: Coming up with a good idea may be easy, but putting it into action is much harder.

A group of mice brainstorm ways to outsmart a cat. One mouse suggests hanging a bell around the cat’s neck so they can hear it coming, but no one wants to volunteer for the job.

Get the printable: Belling the Cat

The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

Moral: It’s better to live simply and safely than to take great risks for things you don’t need.

A town mouse looks down on a country mouse for her simple life. When the country mouse comes to town, she finds fancier food, but there’s danger around every corner.

Get the printable: The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

The Ants and the Grasshopper

Moral: There’s a time for work and a time for play.

A grasshopper mocks a group of ants for storing away food instead of playing in the summer sun. But the ants know the grasshopper will be sorry come winter.

Get the printable: The Ants and the Grasshopper

The Two Goats

Moral: Don’t let stubbornness lead you into misfortune.

Two goats refuse to take turns crossing a narrow log over a chasm, and instead meet in the middle and fall into the roaring stream far below.

Get the printable: The Two Goats

The Hungry Heron

Moral: Don’t be too picky, or you might not get anything at all.

A heron refuses to eat any smaller fish, holding out for a huge one. But then they all swim away, leaving him with nothing.

Get the printable: The Heron

The Fox and the Goat

Moral: Look before you leap.

A fox falls into a well, then tricks a goat into jumping in too. The fox jumps on the goat’s back and escapes, leaving the goat behind.

Get the printable: The Fox and the Goat

The Boy and the Filbert Nuts

Moral: Don’t attempt to do too much at once.

A boy tries to get nuts from a container, but grabs too many and can’t get his fist out because it’s too full of nuts.

Get the printable: The Boy and the Filbert Nuts

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Moral: If you lie, you might not be believed even when you tell the truth.

A shepherd boy tricks the villagers into thinking a wolf is attacking the sheep. When the wolf actually does show up, the villagers ignore his real cries for help.

Get the printable: The Boy Who Cried Wolf

The Sheep and the Pig

Moral: It’s easy to be brave when you’re not in real danger.

A group of sheep make fun of a squealing pig being carried away, but the pig points out that he’s going to the butcher, while the sheep are only carried off to be sheared.

Get the printable: The Sheep and the Pig

The Boys and the Frogs

Moral: What’s fun for you might hurt someone else.

A group of boys skipping stones across a pond are surprised when some frightened frogs speak up and ask them to stop.

Get the printable: The Boys and the Frogs

The Leap at Rhodes

Moral: Actions speak louder than words.

A man who boasts about a massive leap he once made is challenged to prove his story by jumping once again.

Get the printable: The Leap at Rhodes

The Birds, the Beasts, and the Bats

Moral: Don’t be a fair-weather friend.

When the birds and the beasts battled, the bats took the side of whoever was winning at the time. Later, the birds and the beasts both decided to drive out the bats for their deceit.

Get the printable: The Birds, the Beasts, and the Bats

The Rooster and the Jewel

Moral: One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.

A rooster scratching in the dirt for corn is annoyed when he finds a precious jewel instead, because he cannot eat the jewel.

Get the printable: The Rooster and the Jewel

The Travelers and the Sea

Moral: Don’t get carried away by hopes before you know the truth.

Two people walking along the shore see something floating out at sea. They imagine it to be a ship full of treasures, but when it reaches shore, it’s just a log.

Get the printable: The Travelers and the Sea

The Wolf and the Lion

Moral: What you win unfairly, you may lose unfairly.

A wolf steals a lamb from a flock, but a lion steals it from him before he can eat it. When the wolf complains, the lion points out he’s no worse than the wolf himself.

Get the printable: The Wolf and the Lion

The Bear and the Bees

Moral: It’s better to bear a small injury in silence than take revenge and endure a much greater one.

A bee stings a bear trying to get at its honey. The bear gets angry and tears apart the hive, provoking the bees into stinging him over and over.

Get the printable: The Bear and the Bees

The Dog in the Manger

Moral: Don’t begrudge others what you can’t have or use yourself.

A dog lying in a manger (feed box) refuses to let the cows eat the hay, even though the dog himself doesn’t want or need it.

Get the printable: The Dog in the Manger

The Cat, the Rooster, and the Young Mouse

Moral: Don’t judge people by appearance alone.

A young mouse meets a rooster and a cat for the first time, and decides the rooster is more dangerous due to his pointed beak and the bright-red comb on his head.

Get the printable: The Cat, the Rooster, and the Young Mouse

The Peacock and the Crane

Moral: It’s better to value something useful over something beautiful.

A peacock brags about his beautiful colors, but the plain-colored crane simply flies off high and far away—something the peacock cannot do.

Get the printable: The Peacock and the Crane

The Goose and the Golden Egg

Moral: Greed can cause you to lose what you already have.

A man has a goose who lays a golden egg each day. But he wants to get rich faster, so he cuts the goose open, killing it and losing all future eggs.

Get the printable: The Goose and the Golden Egg

The Milkmaid and Her Pail

Moral: Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.

A milkmaid dreams of all the things she’ll buy with the money from her pail of milk, including eggs for hatching young chickens. But then she drops the bucket and spills the milk, and her dreams are dashed.

Get the printable: The Milkmaid and Her Pail

Moral: Possessions are only worth what we make of them.

A man buries his money in the garden instead of spending it, but a thief digs it up and steals it. A passerby notes that he might as well just bury rocks in the garden if he’s not going to spend the money.

Get the printable: The Miser

Two Travelers and a Bear

Moral: Beware a friend who deserts you when you’re in trouble.

Two men meet a bear in the forest. One climbs up a tree, leaving the other to face the bear alone. Both survive, but the man on the ground knows he can no longer trust his friend.

Get the printable: Two Travelers and a Bear

The Cat and the Old Rat

Moral: Don’t be fooled by the same person twice.

A group of mice is fooled by a cat over and over, but a wise old rat knows better than to trust him.

Get the printable: The Cat and the Old Rat

The Fighting Roosters and the Eagle

Moral: Pride goes before a fall.

Two roosters fight to see who’s the strongest, but when the winner stands on the roof to proclaim his victory, an eagle swoops in and carries him away.

Get the printable: The Fighting Roosters and the Eagle

The Gnat and the Bull

Moral: Sometimes we’re not as important as we think we are.

A gnat rests on a bull’s horn for a few minutes. He apologizes to the bull for the inconvenience, and the bull says he hadn’t even noticed the gnat was there.

Get the printable: The Gnat and the Bull

Get your free Aesop’s fables printables!

Just share your email address for instant access to full-text printable versions of all the Aesop’s fables on this list.

How do you use Aesop’s fables with your students? Come share your ideas and ask for advice in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group .

Plus, 50 irresistible free short stories for kids , you might also like.

10 Greek Myths Every Student Should Know

These myths surface in our culture again and again. Continue Reading

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Aesop's Fables

Aesop was a Greek storyteller born in approximately 620 BCE. Tradition says he was born as a slave, but developed a real talent for fables that were used to teach truths in a simple, understandable way. While Aesop was revered for his abilities, it is almost certain that many of the fables attributed to him were actually written by countless people over the ages.

More information about Aesop and his life can be found at the Wikipedia page devoted to him .

There are currently 258 fables on our site. To discover the breadth of Aesop's fables, pick one of the categories at the left. You can also view a random fable , if desired.

If you know of a fable we have missed, drop us a line and let us know.

About | Privacy | Contact Aesop's Fables is a service of Sharon Parq Associates, Inc. Copyright © 2024 by Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.

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How to Write a Fable

Last Updated: May 7, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Danielle McManus, PhD . Danielle McManus is a Graduate Adviser in Davis, California. She completed her PhD in English Language and Literature at UC Davis in 2013. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 381,366 times.

Fables are short allegorical tales that typically feature anthropomorphic animal characters, though plants, objects, and natural forces may also appear as characters. In classic fables, the main character learns from a key mistake and the tale ends with a moral intended to sum up the lesson learned. [1] X Research source Writing a fable demands a strong and concise narrative in which each component--character, setting, and action--contributes clearly and directly to the story’s resolution and moral. While each person has a unique writing process, this article provides a suggested list of steps and a sample fable to help you pen your own.

Quick Steps

• Decide what the moral or lesson of your fable will be, like “slow and steady wins the race.”
• Flesh out your characters, their traits, and the fable-like archetype they embody.
• Choose your setting and outline the central problem your characters will have to overcome.
• Draft your fable using descriptive writing and dialogue to articulate the moral of the story.
• Proofread and revise your fable, then share your work once you’re satisfied.

Part One: Outlining the Basics of Your Fable

• "Like will draw like."
• "The greatest kindness will not bind the ungrateful."
• "Advice prompted by selfishness should not be heeded."
• "Fine feathers don't make fine birds."
• "Strangers should avoid those who quarrel among themselves." [3] X Research source
• For a complete listing of the morals of Aesop's Fables and links to the stories in which they appear, go here .

• Because the nature of fable is to convey culturally-relevant lessons and ideas, the central problem works best when it’s something to which many people can relate.
• For example, in "The Tortoise and the Hare," we are are quickly introduced to what will be the central problem or conflict of the story when two characters decide to hold a race.

• Because fables are meant to be simple and concise, don’t aim for complex or multi-faceted characters. Rather, aim to have each character embody a single human trait and keep the characters within those specific limits.
• As the characters will be the primary vehicle for the fable’s moral, choose characters that will most clearly relate to that moral.
• In "The Tortoise and the Hare" the characters are, as the title indicates, a tortoise and a hare. Because a tortoise is easily associated with things that are slow-moving and the hare with things that are swift, the characters already have what will be their key traits in the story built-in.

• In "The Tortoise and the Hare," the tortoise's slowness is associated with level-headedness and persistence, while the hare's swiftness is associated with rashness and over-confidence.
• There are a number of classic archetypal characters used in fables that are broadly recognized and associated with particular human traits. Choosing two characters with opposing traits is often useful in setting up a clear conflict for the story.
• The lion: strength, pride
• The wolf: dishonesty, greed, rapaciousness
• The donkey: ignorance
• The fly: wisdom
• The fox: cleverness, trickiness, cunning
• The hawk: bossiness, absolutism
• The hen: conceitedness
• The lamb: innocence, shyness [6] X Research source

• The setting should also lend itself to the characters and their particular relationships.
• Try to make the setting simple but vivid--it should be a place readers can easily recognize and understand, which will save you having to explicitly lay out the details of the surroundings.
• For example, in the well known fable of the tortoise and the hare, the setting is simply a road through a forest, which sets the stage for the action (a race down the road) and lends itself to the kinds of characters in the story (woodland creatures).

• Consider how the characters will resolve the conflict and how that resolution will support the lesson and moral to be taken from the story.
• For example, in "The Tortoise and the Hare" the resolution is simple--the hare, in his rashness, loses the race through the forest to the persevering tortoise.

Part Two: Writing Out the Story of Your Fable

• Establish the setting and the relationship of the characters to the setting, which should be an easily recognizable place that's directly tied to the events of the story.

• Be sure to move efficiently from a causal event to its effect. Don’t meander away from the point of the story.
• Everything that happens in the story should be directly and clearly related to the problem and its resolution/moral.
• Work on making the pacing of the fable quick and concise. Don’t waste time with unnecessarily elaborate descriptive passages or meditations on the characters and their surroundings.
• For example, in "The Tortoise and the Hare," the plot moves quickly from the initial challenge to the race to the hare's mistake and then to the tortoise's victory.

• Be sure to include enough dialog among the characters to illustrate the relationships between them and the nature of the conflict they face.
• For example, the two characteristics of the tortoise and the hare are established as level-headed and calm on the one hand, and boastful and rash on the other, as we can see through the tone of their dialog: "I have never yet been beaten," said he [the hare], "when I put forth my full speed. I challenge any one here to race with me." The Tortoise said quietly, "I accept your challenge." "That is a good joke," said the Hare; "I could dance round you all the way." "Keep your boasting till you're beaten," answered the Tortoise. "Shall we race?" [9] X Research source

• There should be a clear and direct relationship between the characters’ actions, the development of the problem, and the illustration of the moral/resolution.
• Make sure there is a resolution to every aspect of the problem previously established and that there are no loose ends.
• Referring again to the fable of the tortoise and the hare, the resolution comes when the boastful hare races ahead and then stops to take a nap, while the level-headed tortoise simply plods along, eventually passing the sleeping hare and beating him to the finish line.

• In fables, the moral of the story is typically stated in a single, pithy sentence. [10] X Research source
• Aim to state the moral in a way that summarizes both the problem, the resolution, and what should be learned from that resolution.
• The simple moral of the tortoise and the hare, for example, is, "After that, Hare always reminded himself, "Don't brag about your lightning pace, for slow and steady won the race!" It encapsulates both the mistake--being lazy and arrogant from over-confidence--and the lesson to be learned--that slow and persistent will win over quick and careless.

• It’s usually best to save this step until you’ve written or at least outlined your story so you can ensure that the title you choose will reflect the story overall.
• You might choose something basic and descriptive, in the tradition of Aesop's Fables (eg, "The Tortoise and the Hare"), or choose a slightly more creative or irreverent title like "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs" or "The Eyebrow Story."

Part Three: Editing and Sharing Your Fable

• Watch out for places where the fable may be overly wordy or complicated. The nature of fable is a simple, concise story that doesn’t mince words or lapse into purple prose.
• Verify that each piece--setting, character, conflict, resolution, and moral--is clearly established and easily understandable.

The revision process is an essential time to elevate your writing. "I'm a rewriter. That's the part I like best...once I have a pile of paper to work with, it's like having the pieces of a puzzle. I just have to put the pieces together to make a picture."

• For a guide to making sentence-level edits, go here .
• Recruit a friend or colleague to read over your text. A second set of eyes is often key to catching errors.

• The easiest and most logical place to start is with family and friends: post your fable on Facebook, post it to a blog and share the link through social media, and/or submit to sites that publish creative writing.
• For an extensive listing of online literary magazines that accept submissions, go here .

Sample Fables

Community Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://literarydevices.net/fable/
• ↑ https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-fables.html
• ↑ https://www.litscape.com/indexes/Aesop/Morals.html
• ↑ https://k12.thoughtfullearning.com/teachersguide/write-away-teachers-guide-table-contents/29-writing-fables
• ↑ https://pioneerprojects.org.uk/2020/06/11/writing-for-wellbeing-fables/
• ↑ http://www.slideshare.net/lolaceituno/fables-and-morals
• ↑ https://literarydevices.net/setting/
• ↑ https://www.aesopfables.com/cgi/aesop1.cgi?sel&TheHareandtheTortoise2&&haretort.ram
• ↑ https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/fable
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/revising-drafts/

About This Article

Before you write a fable, decide what the moral of your story will be, for example "like will draw like" or "fine feathers don't make fine birds." Next, come up with a problem your characters have to deal with that is easy for people to relate to. When deciding on where to set your fable, choose a place that is easily recognizable so you don't have to spend time explaining it, such as a road through a forest. To conclude your story, think about how your characters can resolve the problem in a way that supports the moral. For tips on how to develop dialogue in your fable and share it with others, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Free Fable Graphic Organizer

Fables are an excellent genre of writing that has served a purpose in literacy and society for thousands of years. 

Fables were originally created as short stories intended to teach children a message or moral through great storytelling.  Almost everyone is aware of the story of “The boy who cried wolf” and any child can make the connection from the story that consistent lying will cause you grave harm.

Aesop is the undisputed master of the Fable and he created hundreds of them using animals as key characters to portray certain human traits.

The reason a fox is referred to as cunning or the lamb as a perpetual innocent victim comes from Aesop’s fables.

This tool assists students to create engaging fables based upon the model we have been using for generations.  It is best printed in a larger format so as your students can visually represent their ideas alongside written ones and is completely free and available here.

The fable planning tool is part of a massive 90 page unit of work around fables.  It has been incredibly popular (read the reviews.) and is available as a premium product here.

Kevin has worked in education for over two decades. He has a Masters degree in Educational Technologies and runs two companies providing educational content to schools, students and teachers.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Fable — Perceptions and Realities in Mark Twain’s “A Fable”

Perceptions and Realities in Mark Twain's "A Fable"

• Categories: Fable Mark Twain

About this sample

Words: 737 |

Published: Jan 25, 2024

Words: 737 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

• Twain, Mark. A Fable . UNZ.ORG. n.d. Retrieved from http://www.unz.org/Pub/Harpers-1909dec-00070?View=PDF

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Elementary Classrooms Teach Important Life Lessons to Elementary Readers with 7 Fables

Chelsea Nuesi

Supplement your ELA curriculum and strengthen student reading comprehension with fables from CommonLit’s free digital library.

Fables are a great way to teach students important life lessons. Stories in the fable genre feature personified animals to highlight human weaknesses and share meaningful messages about morality.

CommonLit’s free online reading program offers a wide selection of fables by prominent storytellers, including Beatrix Potter and Aseop. In this blog post, we’ll share 7 fables for elementary students that carry important lessons.

“ The Sheep and the Pig ” by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey (3rd Grade)

On a bright and early morning, a sheep and a pig set out to find a place to build a home. Along the way, they meet a rabbit, a gray goose, and a rooster. Each of the animals offer their unique skills to help build a home in which they can all live.

Lead a classroom discussion about the theme of the story with Discussion Question 1, “In the context of the story, how do the animals form their own community? What is necessary for animals to join this community? Do you think a community can be successful if only some people help out? Why or why not?”

“ The Sparrow’s Quest ” by Elizabeth Laird (3rd Grade)

After a sparrow hurts its feet on ice, the sparrow states that ice has the most power in the world. The ice replies that the sun is more powerful because it can melt ice. The sparrow flies to the sun, clouds, wind, mountains, and grass, asking each of them if they have the most power, but all of them say that there is another thing more powerful. Finally, the sparrow asks a worm, which claims that sparrows are the most powerful.

Encourage students to make text-to-self connections with Discussion Question 2, “In this story, each creature or force of nature that the sparrow talks to thinks of themselves as less powerful than something else. When have you seen people compare themselves to others and feel ‘less than?’ When can it be helpful to compare yourself with others? When can it be harmful?” “ Lazy Anansi ” by Ghanian Folktale (4th Grade)

Too lazy to cook for himself, a spider named Anansi visits his friends’ houses one by one and asks for a meal from each of them. He ties a string of web from one of his legs to each of his friends’ cooking pots and asks them to tug on the web when the food is finished. The friends pull on Anansi’s strings at the same time, stretching his legs out of shape and preventing him from going to any of their homes to eat.

Ask students to explore the moral of the story with Discussion Question 2: “Why is it important to help others? What do you think Anansi learned after having his legs stretched out?”

“ The Tale of Peter Rabbit ” by Beatrix Potter (4th Grade)

A mother rabbit leaves her four little rabbits at home and warns them to not enter a human’s garden, where their father had an accident. Peter, the naughty rabbit of the bunch, ignores his mother’s warnings and goes to the garden where he gets into trouble.

After students read this text, show students the Related Media video “5 facts you might not know about Beatrix Potter.” Then, ask them to discuss what inspired Beatrix Potter to write "The Tale of Peter Rabbit." Follow-up with these questions, “Why do you think Beatrix Potter wrote a lot of stories about animals? Why did she use animals to teach morals in her stories?” Later, as an extension activity, have students write their own short stories based on a pet or other animal.

“ The Ants and the Grasshopper ” by Aseop (5th Grade)

One autumn day, a hungry grasshopper asks for a bite to eat from a family of ants. After working all summer to stock up for the winter, the ants refuse to share their food with the grasshopper who spent the summer fooling around and not collecting food.

Ask students to take notes on the problem the grasshopper faces and how the ants' response contributes to the theme and moral of the fable. Then, they can use their notes to help them answer Assessment Question 5: “Using complete sentences, explain the central moral, or lesson, of the story. Use evidence from the text to support your answer.”

“ The Boy Who Cried Wolf ” by Aesop (5th Grade)

To entertain himself, a bored shepherd boy shouts that a wolf is chasing the sheep. Once the villagers arrive to help, they discover that there is no wolf. The boy cries wolf again and the villagers warn him to not cry wolf when there isn’t one. When a real wolf comes around, the boy calls for help, but no one comes. After students finish reading this text, have them answer Discussion Question 3 to understand the lesson of the story, “What is the author's message about power, truth, and lies? How are they connected? Use evidence from this text, from your own experience, and from other art or literature to answer this question.”

“ The Lion and the Mouse ” by Aesop (5th Grade)

After waking an angry Lion from his nap, a Mouse begs for her life, saying that she will repay him someday. The Lion doubts the Mouse could ever return the favor, but he lets her go. One day, the Lion steps into a hunter’s net and roars for help. The Mouse answers the Lion’s cries and gnaws the net, setting him free.

To help students understand the moral of the story, ask them Discussion Question 3, “In the context of this story, how can people – especially the small and weak – overcome adversity? Cite evidence from this text, your own experience, and other literature, art, or history in your answer.”

Looking for more great fables for elementary students ? Check out our CommonLit library !

Build your reading curriculum with this ready-to-use thematic unit on fables , and discover more fables by Aesop in CommonLit’s free digital library . If you’re interested in learning all about CommonLit’s free digital literacy program, join one of our upcoming webinars !

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Home / Fables

Fables for Kids : 40 Best Classic Fables with Moral Lessons

• May 25, 2024

The Clever Cock and the Tricky Fox: A Tale of Wit and Caution

Part 1: A Feathered Friend on High Alert The Cock and the Fox Story: High atop

The Ass in the Lion’s Skin: The Donkey’s Big Pretend

Part 1: Finding the Perfect Disguise The Ass in the Lion’s Skin: Once upon a time,

The Fighting Cocks and the Eagle: A Tale of Pride and its Fall

Part 1: The Feud in the Farmyard The Fighting Cocks and the Eagle: Did you know

The Gnat and the Bull: Can a Tiny Gnat Annoy a Giant Bull?

Part 1: The Boastful Gnat The Gnat and the Bull: Buzz! Buzz! A tiny gnat named

The Wolf and the Crane: A Story About Greed and Gratitude

Part 1: A Wolf in Trouble The Wolf and the Crane: Once upon a time, in

Belling the Cat: A Story About Bravery and Teamwork

Part 1: The Mice in Trouble Belling the Cat: Once upon a time, in a cozy

The Frog and the Ox

The Frog and the Ox Part 1: The Littlest Frog and the Biggest Ox Splash! Plop!

The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

Part 1: A Hungry Wolf’s Dilemma The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing: Once upon a time, in

The Tortoise and the Hare: A Timeless Tale of Perseverance

The Tortoise and the Hare: Classic Story A Boastful Beginning The Tortoise and the Hare: Once

The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

Part 1: Friends with Different Lives Once upon a time, there were two mice who were

The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs

The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs Part 1: A Very Special Goose The Goose with

The Lion and the Mouse – Story with Moral

The Lion and the Mouse Story : Part 1: The King and the Humble Nibbler In

The Fox and the Grapes : Aesop’s Fables

The Fox and the Grapes: Once upon a time, in a big, green forest, there lived

The Boy Who Cried Wolf – Aesop’s Fable

Once upon a time, in a small village nestled in the hills, there lived a young

The Three Little Pigs- A Story About Hard Work and Smart Choices

Part 1: The Little Pigs Set Out Once upon a time, there were three little pigs

The Thirsty Crow and the Pitcher Story for Kids

The Thirsty Crow and the Pitcher The Crow’s Big Thirst The sun beat down on the

The Ant and the Grasshopper: A Lesson in Preparedness

Story The Ant and the Grasshopper: Once upon a time, in a sunny meadow filled with

What is a Fable?

Have you ever heard a story about a talking turtle who raced a speedy rabbit ? Or maybe a clever mouse who helped a mighty lion ? Those are fables! Fables are short stories that have been told for a super long time. They usually have animals , plants , or even things like clouds and wind that talk and act like people.

These silly stories aren’t just for fun, though. Fables always teach us a special lesson about life, called a moral. It might be about being kind, working hard, or not being too proud. Think of them like little treasure boxes – they have a fun story on the outside and a valuable lesson hidden inside!

Let’s move on! Are you ready to learn about some famous fables?

Famous Fable Examples

Here, we’ll introduce kids to some classic fables with very short summaries and focus on their lessons.

The Tortoise and the Hare : A speedy hare makes fun of a slow tortoise and challenges him to a race. The hare gets lazy and naps, while the tortoise keeps going. Lesson: Slow and steady wins the race!

The Lion and the Mouse : A tiny mouse accidentally wakes up a sleeping lion. The lion is about to eat him, but the mouse begs for mercy. Later, the mouse saves the lion from a trap! Lesson: Even the smallest creatures can be helpful and kind.

The Fox and the Grapes: A hungry fox sees some juicy grapes hanging high but can’t reach them. He walks away, saying they were probably sour anyway. Lesson : It’s easy to pretend you don’t want something you can’t have.

The Boy Who Cried Wolf : A bored shepherd boy repeatedly tricks the villagers into thinking a wolf is attacking. When a real wolf comes, nobody believes him. Lesson: Always tell the truth, or people won’t trust you.

Why Fables Are Fun for Kids

Get ready, because fables are some of the coolest stories around! Here’s why:

Silly Animal Adventures: Imagine a frog wearing a crown, a donkey singing, or a sly fox wearing fancy clothes! Fables are full of talking animals doing all sorts of funny things. It’s like jumping into a world where anything is possible!

Short and Sweet Stories: Fables don’t take forever to read. They tell a quick story that’s easy to remember, just like your favorite joke. This makes them perfect for a bedtime read or a little story break during a busy day.

Lessons that Stick: Remember how fables have those hidden treasure lessons? They teach you about being brave, helping others, or telling the truth in a way that sticks in your head better than any boring rulebook.

Do you agree fables sound like a lot of fun? Great! Now let’s find some awesome fables to read!

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Adolescent Egocentrism and Personal Fable Essay

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Adolescent egocentrism is normal in teens

Imaginary audience, personal fable.

Adolescent egocentrism is a belief that teens have; they usually feel that people are very keen and attentive to their behavior and appearance. It should not be a cause for alarm since it is a normal occurrence for teens between the ages of twelve or eleven years. It lasts until the teenager is around 16 years of age. Parents should be supportive and understanding to see their teenage sons or daughters have a peaceful and quiet transition into adulthood. The concept of egocentrism was developed by David Elkind who was a psychologist. He developed 2 concepts, imaginary audience and personal fable which are discussed below.

Teens undergo a lot of changes during this adolescence. These changes range from physical changes, social changes to emotional changes. Due to the various changes taking place primarily physically, they feel that everyone has their eyes fixed on them checking out how they have dressed or their appearance and their behavior. This is however not true and it is a false belief.

My experience

Personally, I attended a boarding high school, and when we used to close school for the holidays, I usually found it hard going to town. Sometimes, my mum would require me to go down and buy groceries or run an errand for her. I would be reluctant because I found going to town, a place full of people intimidating. The reason being, I thought everyone was looking at me and observing my every move.

I would take a very long time like an hour just preparing myself to ensure that I look good. If I spotted a pimple on my face, I would try and make it less visible thinking that everyone else knew about it. In town, I would look straight ahead and I would not dare look back or look at a person. Sometimes, when I was not so ok with what I was wearing, I would walk facing down trying to avoid everyone’s eyes. If only I knew that everyone was minding their own business and they did not care how I looked like or the minute pimple on my face. I would be uneasy when conversing with a person of the opposite sex.

It would be worse if we were age mates because I had the impression that they knew my flaws. This would make me uncomfortable when talking to them. Approaching members of the opposite gender for a textbook or academic matters would be a great hurdle especially if they were in a group. I would think to myself that they were all watching me as I approach the group and as I walk away from them. It was more relaxing to be inside the house playing video games or sometimes I would decide to watch a movie, than being at the glare and limelight of my tiny world where I thought all eyes were fixed on me.

A personable fable is a belief that almost every teenager has during adolescence. They usually believe that they are special and unique unlike every one on earth. They believe that everyone is fascinated by them because they are destined to live a life that is full of glam and celebrity status, the life of a hero or legend.

In my life as a young teenager, I thought I would be a very rich person who would have homes all over the world. I knew that the world would be awed by me although it was not clear to me how this would happen. Being an innocent teenager, I would vow to help the needy once I became a billionaire. At the time, I knew I would be destined for greatness and stardom but when and how it would come I had no idea. It is a fact that if you ask every teenager, they will tell you they are unique and bound for greatness but if you ask them how that will happen, they cannot tell you. I remember during adolescence, I thought that I was being followed by the secret service because I believed I was not like any other person of my age because I was unique.

Elkind, D. (1967). Egocentrism in adolescence. Child development , 1025-1034.

Elkind, D., & Bowen, R. (1979). Imaginary audience behavior in children and adolescents. Developmental Psychology , 15 (1), 38.

Enright, R. D., Lapsley, D. K., & Shukla, D. G. (1979). Adolescent egocentrism in early and late adolescence. Eric. Web.

Lapsley, D. K., & Rice, K. (1988). The “new look” at the imaginary audience and personal fable: Toward a general model of adolescent ego development . New York: Springer. (pp. 109-129).

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IvyPanda. (2021, May 17). Adolescent Egocentrism and Personal Fable. https://ivypanda.com/essays/adolescent-egocentrism-and-personal-fable/

"Adolescent Egocentrism and Personal Fable." IvyPanda , 17 May 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/adolescent-egocentrism-and-personal-fable/.

IvyPanda . (2021) 'Adolescent Egocentrism and Personal Fable'. 17 May.

IvyPanda . 2021. "Adolescent Egocentrism and Personal Fable." May 17, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/adolescent-egocentrism-and-personal-fable/.

1. IvyPanda . "Adolescent Egocentrism and Personal Fable." May 17, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/adolescent-egocentrism-and-personal-fable/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Adolescent Egocentrism and Personal Fable." May 17, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/adolescent-egocentrism-and-personal-fable/.